SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 2
Reviewed by Cyril Lachel on
December 28, 2006.
SOCOM hasn't changed much since we saw it last year, but who cares when Fireteam Bravo 2 is so much fun? With its satisfying single-player experience and addictive online modes this is one game that is extremely easy to recommend, no matter what type of gamer you are.
Rating: 71%

When it comes to Sony's action games, few are able to deliver like SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs have. On the PlayStation 2 alone they are up to their fourth iteration in five years, and Fireteam Bravo 2 marks the second appearance of the series on the PSP. With better online support, brand new levels and a few cool gameplay twists, SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 2 proves to be not only a fantastic sequel but also one of the best multiplayer experiences on the Sony PlayStation Portable.

Fireteam Bravo 2 isn't a radical departure from the first game, it still controls the same and you'll instantly recognize the basic mission structure. But while it's not that original, this sequel does manage to impress with a lot of interesting content and a new points system. Regardless of whether you've already seen everything there is to see in the first Fireteam Bravo entry or you're new to the series, this PSP SOCOM is well worth your $40. This may be on a portable game system, but there is nothing small about this title. It offers a deep story full of political intrigue and plenty of terrorists to kill, plus it has an exciting online experience that is second to none on the PSP.

Fireteam Bravo 2's single player campaign spans 14 different missions all set in the fictional country of Adjikistan. At first I was worried that since the entire game takes place in this one area I would be forced to go through a lot of similar looking levels, but thankfully that is not the case here. Believe it or not, Adjikistan is full of diverse locations, all of which prove to be full of action. Early on you will be trudging through the snowy hilltops, but soon enough you will be fighting terrorists in an airplane hanger, through underground tunnels, in cities and much more. The 14 levels are very different looking, which certainly goes a long way to keeping you interested in the action.

The levels aren't just cool looking, they are also quite large. In each mission you will have a series of objectives to complete, including locating intel, saving hostages, killing all of the bad guys and blowing a bunch of stuff up. Along with the primary objectives you will also find that there are a bunch of secondary and bonus tasks, which often include taking pictures of maps and neutralizing your enemies without actually killing them.

Much like the first Fireteam Bravo title, this PSP sequel features you going through each mission with a computer-controlled character. This second character can be useful when you're in a big firefight, but for the most part he just hangs out behind you and does what you tell him to do. While there are certainly times when he can be helpful, I found that I was spending most of the time doing everything myself, just leaving him behind so that he didn't get in the way. He's not the most intelligent computer-controlled character you have ever seen, but he's on par with the rest of the secondary characters in the SOCOM series.

New to Fireteam Bravo 2 are the command equity points. You earn these points by both completing the various tasks in each mission and going out of your way to stay hidden, neutralize your enemies in non-lethal ways and other such sneaky tactics. These points can really make your job a lot easier, since you can use them for buying new (and better) equipment, characters, armor and even airstrikes. This point system gives you a lot of incentive to stay in the shadows and play the game how a real SEAL would.

What's great about this new points system is that they immediately affect the game. These are not items you use later on after the action has subsided, you can use them at practically any time throughout the course of the game. I love that these points give you reasons to play the game a certain way, especially since you could conceivably just run and gun your way through a lot of these different levels. This is an exciting new addition to the SOCOM formula, one that I hope is included in future titles.

While the points are new, you'll find that the actual game play has gone largely unchanged. Like its predecessor, Fireteam Bravo 2 has a somewhat complex control scheme that will likely take a little while to memorize. You'll find that there are a lot of different abilities mapped to the same buttons, so simply pushing the button and holding the button will do two completely different things. For the most part this control scheme works fine after you've gotten used to it, but there are certainly moments in the game where you wish the PSP had more buttons and maybe another analog stick.

SOCOM hasn't changed much since we saw it last year, but who cares when Fireteam Bravo 2 is so much fun? With its satisfying single-player experience and addictive online modes this is one game that is extremely easy to recommend, no matter what type of gamer you are.

This product was submitted by the publisher for review. As a rule, Defunct Games does not review games we spent money on. However, that does not always apply to classic/retro games. This specific product, however, came straight from a PR guy for the purposes of being reviewed!